 Time now to talk soccer here on Highland and our League of Ireland chat this week We're talking to former fun harps goalkeeper and current cock called Southgate manager Gavin Cullen Gavin. Good to see you again Hi, I've seen how things and not too bad Gavin listen, we're gonna talk fun harps cup defeat at the hands of done doc during the week went to extra time Do you think it was a missed opportunity by the harps given everything that was going on around undocked this week and injuries and COVID and Not going well in the league. Maybe was it a missed opportunity for them Ah, yeah, certainly was like as I said done doc aren't the force that were a couple years ago harps are above them in the league They've got a few good results this season against them as well So after coming from behind with 10 man and getting a great result and on Friday night You'd expect and harps are going down there with their tails up and Sense the real opportunity to possibly get the semi-final and then maybe get the final this year and the FA cup so I'd say the way the game panned out and watch the game myself They've left disappointed losing an extra time, you know Yeah, how do you think the legs will be on Friday night? Cuz all I alluded to it after the game on on Tuesday that when you play five games, basically And a fortnight I can be telling on the legs and then you throw an extra time as well So how big a factor is that gonna be come Friday night against bowls Gavin? Oh, it will be surely Like I know bows played in Monday night as well But at bows are a lot of full-time players although harps have some full-time players that they're not all full-time There's a lot of working as well. So that is a big test You know going to the plate don't talk Tuesday night in the travel home and going to work on Wednesday morning Again and probably get the probably get one recovery session done in between not much training So he is right as a big test and harps squad at the minute since since they've lost a few during the summer Is light so it is so that he hasn't a real lot of options to make a lot of changes So it will be a big test and bows will be a slight refresher because of the full-time But at the same time and saying that they know that they can go on the road and take a one against some of the big sides Gavin so they're doing They certainly can although I can go 80 bows area on the season is probably the heaviest to feed this season Bows I think was 4-0 for a member Bows bows are capable of scoring goals of exciting attack on players And it will be a dangerous game for harps, but at the same time you never really harps out of getting a result anywhere at the minute More goals from Sean Boyd would be good. He's sort of on form at the minute, isn't he? He is he's fairly silenced his critics I know a lot of harps fans are fairly critical of them even coming back and signing for the club But he's only young lad He obviously can play a bit judging by what he's done the last week a couple of his goals were absolutely brilliant And and he's excited the crowd so hopefully they'll make it a wee run now and maybe show them what he can do Yeah, and of course on the other side of things and the bows then you've got Mr. Georgie Kelly who continues to go and score and spray so it doesn't and matches They grabbed a couple the last night against Erie so I did I got the goal that leveled things up for bows the last night against Erie Yeah, it was like the equalizing goal he scored was absolutely brilliant They take that ball in his chest and set the box under pressure and swivel and turn and strike the ball the way he did It shows a man on form. He's been brilliant this season I think he's for following all his potential. We all sort of knew he had it over the years Come on from Deri. He was a great number nine good striker back the goal striker Again got his move to UCD then Dundock where he never really came to the fore Whereas now at Bows with the run and the way they play at Sutsum and they start to score a lot of goals He's been the best striker in the league this year No doubt And I'm sure the rumors are going about it the minute about them going to Deri next season Looks good and it would be nice to see that happening to be honest Yeah, it's certainly in fine form, but of course all sorts of rumors about him coming back to there I see Michael Doffish link with Deri as well. Yeah, the two of them are heavily linked and I even heard yesterday That that's their shorted So, um, I don't know if Patrick Michael any going back to it's a very exciting times at Deri at the minute, you know Yeah, what about Deri this weekend long for town? Would be a game that you would expect Deri to one given they've got that home advantage against the bottom side Yeah, you would Deri have been Nothing sort of brilliant since Roy Higgins took it over same squad of players. Um, just there's an energy about them There's a confidence about them and That to take it up to the top four in the league from where they were and we discussed it ourselves Like I never seen them Finishing above harps at that stage of the season when before Roy took over So it's it's a credit to him and his staff the way they've turned things around and at the minute They're a match for anybody and I would fully expect them to take a three points there Yeah, uh deri currently sitting look just looking at the table. They're what? I have 39 points on the top two have 56 and 50. So there's an 11 point gap to the top two there for deri um They may close that before the end of the season But do you think if they were to add the likes of georgie killie and michael duffy at 11 12 point gap to The top can be closed next year. Yeah, look, there's I suppose a lot A lot of been said with fellow bird already and the sale of his business and the investment to deri at the minute. So There's talk that they want to want a league within the next three years I fully expect them to the players have been linked with and the and the possible finance at their disposal That they'll probably be looking to go and give the league a go next season The players you're talking about there will would improve any side Um adding the fact that they are local as well No, it does it does help a little bit. So look it is exciting times and and if deri get back to where they They should be as a as a football city and a club look, it'll be only great for the area and general up here, you know Yeah, well the current side that's leading the way in the league other defending champion shamrock rovers They're taking on some patricks athletic this weekend. So it's the top two doing battle here Gavin is the gap going to stay at six points Is rovers going to go nine ahead or are simpats going to be able to pull it back to three? Where's this one going to go? Good question. I think I think a one or a draw for rovers and and you're probably looking at them going on Furnishing them on in the league I think if some simpats have to go all out for the three points if they do And they have title aspirations then it could could be an instance running But as I said all season and I don't see it any different I can't see past rovers one on this league this year And I think they will do whatever takes to get to get the league title and Waterford against droughty and aides this is the game that I'm sure the harps management and supporters Will be keeping a very close eye on because harps are stuck in between the two in the seventh position Harps four behind droughty And they are four ahead of waterford So I would say an outcome of this year the spoils and that one would keep Everybody involved with fun harps happy. So they would probably would yeah It probably would or even a draw out of actually to keep waterford down But drought I've been a bit of a free fall recently So like they could be caught up on in this at the minute and waterford have along with harps have put Two great runs together Which you would have wrote waterford off a few months ago. They've been very good and look look a good side now As of harps, you know, and that's brought done dark right in the equation Which it's hard to believe at the start of the season nobody would have guessed that But they're they're in real danger of the playoff position at the minute as well. Do we think so? Yeah, it was listening to asian langan on his podcast this league of island podcast He was talking to fun harps player shone body and he asked the question He's looking up. He's looking down and shone shone would answer it in such a way that they take Each match as it goes as it's hands out if there is an opportunity to look up that they will We're which way do you think they're looking? Gavin? With with all in charge, I think they're always looking down That's been drummed in them. But look, I think Generally if harps stay up, it's an achievement most seasons every on the season I thought they had an opportunity to push on Which they obviously went in the run of poor results in midseason and sort of derailed them a bit But look, you would like to say yes, let's let's finish in the top six or whatever But I think I've pushed him to show On harps stay up by a point at the end of the season. I think I think it's job done again Yeah, two other teams playing the McNidorial Park Dundalk against Slaggo Rovers this coming weekend as well Gavin Dundalk's focus, I'm sure, is going to be from a European perspective Won the cup again. That's what they need to do if they are going to achieve that But I also need a couple of ones in the league too, so they do They do surely. They obviously have to stay in the league Like it doesn't fathomable for them and the budgets and the money's involved That they could even be near relegation But they are They obviously have a chance in the cup they're now in the semi-final And they probably are a match for anybody on the day, but Like if the worst case scenario and they do end up on a playoff I'd say they would be still too strong for them in the first division But it would be it would be on an a-phase and it would be a poorer season for Dundalk if it ended up like that Yeah, I know we were talking about rumors earlier in the piece about players going to Dary's city There's also rumors that the peak six group that won Dundalk may be selling up this year Is that is that a good thing or a bad thing or are they looking at their investment now and Going to themselves. Why did we bother getting involved in this? I would say you're possibly right for that statement. Yeah, there's there's rumors this week that there's a stat sports Aaron talks with with taking over Dundalk So look, I suppose it's always good when there's when there's money or anything invested in the league of Ireland and clubs But there's always that danger to you when when these investors are people that sort of They get fed up or they they don't see no returns Which they're probably never is in the league of Ireland And then they leave what what ship did they leave the club on no and Dundalk haven't really improved facilities or Steady or stuff like that. So there's a danger of that as well I know there's a few a few clubs over the years that have had investment and the investment poll out in the clubs Struggled and went bust at times. So there is a danger of that But like hopefully they do get new investors or new owners and they do push the club on with the With the right to focus within the club, you know Finally then just back to the harps obviously on the road Is the game on friday night a fixture that fun harps are capable of one in Gavin? Um, yeah Oh, yeah, I think the harps are capable of turning over anybody in the league this season now At the element Bose and the form the underscore three against Darryl all night to forward on fire They're well organized good side and they're obviously pushing for Europe as well So it's a tough ask and as I say if you asked harps now they would take a point because of the games they've had and all But you never seen ever like refereeing decisions No, but a lot whatever and they could beat them But I would say I would safely say both are going on their favorites and if harps get anything anything out of the game We'll be happy. Yeah, okay. Listen Gavin good to talk to you as always and we'll hope we get a good result for harps That's coming friday night. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks very much. Good man